logo
Support for renewables shrinks as fossil fuel interest grows

Support for renewables shrinks as fossil fuel interest grows

Yahoo7 days ago

Republicans and Democrats alike are less likely to support renewable energy than they were five years ago, according to a survey released Thursday by the Pew Research Center.
The results mirror growing pockets of opposition to solar farms, reignited political support for coal plants and moves by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans to kill federally funded clean energy projects.
This shift in opinion dates back to before Democratic President Joe Biden took office, said Brian Kennedy, Pew senior researcher and one of the study's authors. 'This isn't a new trend,' he said.
Still, Kenneth Gillingham, professor of environmental and energy economics at the Yale School of the Environment, was surprised.
'I see this shift … a successful effort to link climate change and renewable energy to broader culture war issues,' Gillingham said. He added that in the past, 'prominent' Republicans supported renewables and sought solutions to climate change, but those stances could now be seen as 'disloyal' to Trump.
The survey of 5,085 U.S. adults taken April 28 to May 4 revealed that while 79% of Americans favored expanding wind and solar production in 2020, that number has dropped to 60%. And 39% of Americans today support expansion of oil, coal and natural gas — almost double the 20% that supported it in 2020.
Combustion of fossil fuels — in transportation, energy generation and industrial production — is the No. 1 cause of climate change.
Much of the change in opinion is driven by Republicans, whose support of oil and gas grew from 35% in 2020 to 67% today. But Democrats also indicated less support for renewable energy and more for fossil fuels than five years ago.
While many results reflect Trump's policies opposing most renewables and boosting fossil fuels, Pew found a few notable exceptions: 69% of all respondents favor offshore wind — a technology Trump has specifically targeted.
Both Democrats and Republicans indicated stronger support for nuclear power, with Republicans' favorable opinions increasing from 53% in 2020 to 69% in 2025. Democrats' support rose from 37% to 52%. The Trump administration has signaled support for a nuclear renaissance, despite its high cost.
There were wide partisan splits on several topics. In March, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it would scale back environmental regulations. Pew asked whether it was possible to do that and still protect air and water quality: 77% of Republicans said yes and 67% of Democrats said no.
Pew didn't ask the respondents why their attitudes have shifted. But Kennedy said in Pew's past surveys, Republicans have expressed concern about the economic impacts of climate change policies and transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.
Mike Murphy, a Republican consultant and electric vehicle backer, said when the environmental benefits of clean technologies are touted, it polarizes Republicans. Instead, Murphy said messages should be about pocketbook issues — like lower fuel costs — and jobs.
'It's hard for pro-climate people to understand,' said Murphy, who has advised dozens of state and national GOP campaigns including John McCain's 2008 presidential bid. '(They think) we just need to shout louder and hit people over the head about climate, climate, climate. The key is you want to talk about jobs and national security and other events that naturally resonate a lot more with right-of-center people.'
That's what Murphy's groups, the EV Politics Project and the American EV Jobs Alliance are trying to do to depoliticize electric vehicles. 'Whenever electric cars are seen through a climate lens,' Murphy said, 'their appeal narrows.'
It's a strategy also being used by the Electrification Coalition, a left-of-center pro-EV group. Ben Prochazka, the coalition's executive director, echoed Murphy's strategy, adding that EVs have 'become overly politicized and caught in the culture wars, impacting markets and ultimately hurting our ability to realize their many benefits for all Americans.'
Prochazka noted that once introduced to EVs, consumers support them: "EV drivers love their vehicles, with more than eight out of ten reporting that their next car will also be electric.'
Perhaps those practical messages are getting through. In the Pew survey, electric vehicles were the one item that saw an uptick in support – 4 percentage points in the past year.
But popular support might not be enough to stop Congress from killing a $7,500 electric vehicle credit, which Murphy said would be 'policy disaster.'
Republicans, he said, are in a 'real squeeze,' because 'they don't have enough money for the tax cuts the president has promised.'
Said Murphy: 'It's easier for Republicans to cut Biden electric cars … than it is for them to cut more Medicaid.'
Gillingham is still optimistic that solar, wind and other greenhouse gas-reducing technologies will move forward — because they are the cheapest.
'The continued decline in the price of renewable energy and battery technologies, as well as other new technologies, is a reason to continue to have hope that the worst impacts of climate change can be addressed,' he said.
Floodlight is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates the powers stalling climate action.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Senate GOP unveil long-awaited SNAP proposals for Trump bill
Senate GOP unveil long-awaited SNAP proposals for Trump bill

The Hill

time11 minutes ago

  • The Hill

Senate GOP unveil long-awaited SNAP proposals for Trump bill

Senate Republicans on Wednesday rolled out a suite of proposed changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as a key component of President Trump's 'big beautiful bill' – but it dials back some of the proposals sought by the House that drew intraparty concerns. The new legislative text from the Senate would require states to cover some of the cost of SNAP benefits, which are currently completely funded by the federal government, if they have a payment error rate above 6 percent beginning in fiscal 2028, while allowing states with rates below that level to continue paying zero percent. It also proposes states with higher payment error rates cover a greater share of benefit costs. If the error rate is 6 percent or higher, states would be subject to a sliding scale that could see its share of allotments rise to a range of between 5 percent to 15 percent. The House, by contrast, called for all states to cover 5 percent of the cost of allotments in its agricultural proposal passed as part of a broader plan to advance Trump's tax agenda last month, with states that had higher payment error rates having to pay anywhere between 15 to 25 percent. The softened proposal comes as Senate Republicans expressed concerns about how the House pitch would have impacted states. 'This bill takes a commonsense approach to reforming SNAP-cutting waste, increasing state accountability, and helping recipients transition to self-sufficiency through work and training,' Senate Agriculture Chairman John Boozman (R-Ariz.) said in a statement on Wednesday. 'It's about being good stewards of taxpayer dollars while giving folks the tools to succeed.' 'At the same time, our farmers and ranchers are facing real challenges,' he said. 'This legislation delivers the risk management tools and updated farm bill safety net they need to keep producing the safest, most abundant and affordable food, fuel, and fiber in the world. It's an investment in rural America and the future of agriculture.' Like the House bill, the Senate bill would also decrease the administrative cost the federal government is required to pay to help cover program operations in the states by 25 percent, but beginning in fiscal year 2027. The proposals in both chambers also seek to limit the federal government's ability to increase monthly benefits in the future and beef up work requirements, as well as farm provisions that GOP leaders have argued will make it easier to craft a bipartisan farm bill in the months ahead – although Democrats have said otherwise. Republicans on the Senate Agriculture Committee estimated the recent legislation would generate $144 billion in net savings in the years ahead as the party looks to ramp up cost-cutting measures in Trump's plan amid concerns about the overall deficit impact of his tax priorities.

Marines still not on LA streets, seen in hand-to-hand combat training
Marines still not on LA streets, seen in hand-to-hand combat training

Yahoo

time12 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Marines still not on LA streets, seen in hand-to-hand combat training

The 700 Marines deployed to Los Angeles by President Donald Trump have not yet hit the streets and are instead on standby and carrying out nonlethal training. Dozens of Marines were captured on aerial footage Tuesday practicing hand-to-hand combat and crowd control on Seal Beach field, just south of L.A. County. Trump activated the Marines and about 4,000 National Guards after violent mobs took to the streets over the weekend, burning and damaging property while some threw rocks and Molotov cocktails at law enforcement. Aoc Downplays La Riots As Mere 'Teens' Throwing Rocks, Pins Blame On Trump A U.S. Northern Command spokesperson told Fox News the Marines have not completed their nonlethal weapons training. They are expected to do at least another day of nonlethal weapons training, two U.S. defense officials told Fox News. It is expected they will finish the training on Friday. Read On The Fox News App "The Marine unit is an infantry unit and needs to learn protocols for [the] use of force in a domestic setting," a defense official told Fox News. The cost of sending the Marines and National Guard to Southern California is an estimated $134 million, Acting Pentagon Comptroller Bryn MacDonnell said. The funds will be pulled from the operations and maintenance budget, MacDonnell said. USMC Commandant Gen. Eric Smith on Wednesday said the Marines are acting under NORTHCOM's direction and are limited to protecting federal property and personnel, not engaging in broader law enforcement. He said that they had already received four days' worth of training. California Sheriff Says Newsom 'Encouraged' La Riots As Ice Arrests Violent Illegal Aliens Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, meanwhile, said the Marines and National Guard troops were being deployed to keep the city safe. "The mission in Los Angeles, as you know well, sir, is not about lethality. It's about maintaining law and order on behalf of law enforcement agents who deserve to do their job without being attacked by mobs of people," Hegseth said under grilling from Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing. "We are very proud that the National Guard and the Marines are on the streets defending the ICE agents, and they will continue." Hegseth said "there is plenty of precedent for the U.S. supporting law enforcement officers." A federal judge on Tuesday night declined California Gov. Gavin Newsom's request for an immediate temporary restraining order to restrict Trump's deployment of Marines and National Guard troops to quell ongoing anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) riots in Los Angeles. Newsom has had a public war of words with Trump administration officials, accusing the president of having "commandeered" thousands of the state's National Guard members "illegally, for no reason" without consulting California's law enforcement leaders. The Trump administration, meanwhile, said its ICE operations are aiming to get "criminal illegal immigrant killers, rapists, gangbangers, drug dealers, human traffickers and domestic abusers off the streets." Fox News' Liz Friden contributed to this article source: Marines still not on LA streets, seen in hand-to-hand combat training

Los Angeles DA delivers scathing warning to violent protesters causing havoc: 'We're coming for you'
Los Angeles DA delivers scathing warning to violent protesters causing havoc: 'We're coming for you'

Yahoo

time12 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Los Angeles DA delivers scathing warning to violent protesters causing havoc: 'We're coming for you'

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman sent a strong warning Wednesday to those behind the recent riot violence: "We will track you down. We will arrest you. We will prosecute you. And we will punish you." Standing with LA Sheriff Robert Luna and LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, Hochman announced felony charges against several rioters accused of attacking officers, looting stores and vandalizing public property. More arrests and charges are expected in the coming days. "Let me provide some bad news for you," Hochman said. "There's a tremendous amount of video out there through social media, and otherwise we will know who you are, who engaged in this conduct. … So, for people who've already engaged in this, in this illegal activity, we're coming for you." Ice Ramps Up Arrests Of Convicted Criminals As Riots Rage In Blue City: 'You Will Not Stop Us' Five criminal cases were detailed during the press conference. Juan Rodriguez of Gardena is accused of handing out and throwing commercial-grade fireworks at LAPD officers, injuring one. He faces over six years in prison. Randy Paul Ruiz and Georgina Rava-Yero allegedly drove motorcycles into a police line, injuring officers. Both face felony charges and over six years in prison. In a separate case, Timmy Paulk and Rayven Mitchell were charged with allegedly looting a Nike store downtown. They face up to three years in prison. Read On The Fox News App Senator Launches Investigation Into Democratic Org Over Potential Support For La Rioters Ulysses Sanchez, a three-strike felon, was charged with assault and gun possession after allegedly recklessly driving through downtown and injuring bystanders. He could face 25 years to life. Christopher Gonzalez and Yoselin Johnson were charged with felony vandalism after allegedly painting graffiti on the Hall of Justice. Deputies say they found paint buckets and a large roller pole in their car. "These are not protesters," said Sheriff Luna. "There's a big distinction between individuals that protest and demonstrate to violent, destructive, basically anarchist. ... What we're talking about are the individuals who don't care about the issue at hand." Luna praised the district attorney for taking fast action, assigning a special prosecutor to focus on crimes against law enforcement. He also noted help from federal agencies, with some suspects possibly facing federal charges. Chief McDonnell revealed some of the dangers officers have faced in recent days. He said officers have been targeted with fireworks, Molotov cocktails and even mortars. "This is no longer a protest when commercial-grade fireworks are being used as weapons, and our officers are under direct attack," he said. "That's not free speech. That's a felony. "We will facilitate all peaceful First Amendment activity," said Sheriff Luna. "But when you have people that are out here to commit acts of violence, against our deputy sheriffs or police officers or, just, they're destroying our city. We're going to stop it."Original article source: Los Angeles DA delivers scathing warning to violent protesters causing havoc: 'We're coming for you'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store